My Thoughts on Thanksgiving

It is the day before a major American holiday that most people associate with food, when in reality it is supposed to be a day of reflections and giving thanks. On Thursday, September 24, 1789, the first House of Representatives voted to recommend the First Amendment of the newly drafted Constitution to the states for ratification. The next day, Congressman Elias Boudinot from New Jersey proposed that the House and Senate jointly request of President Washington to proclaim a day of thanksgiving for “the many signal favors of Almighty God”. Boudinot said that he “could not think of letting the session pass over without offering an opportunity to all the citizens of the United States of joining, with one voice, in returning to Almighty God their sincere thanks for the many blessings he had poured down upon them.” Interesting, no mention of turnkey, dressing or football, it begs the question, when did this sacred American holiday become bastardized? It is now only about food, football, dysfunctional families and shopping. Yes, shopping, let us all get up and leave our families, sit in the cold and make a mad dash into the store to grab up some electronic device that we really don’t need in the first place.
What I am proposing is that we get back to what Thanksgiving was really supposed to be about, don’t do away with the food, family and yes you can keep your football, but let’s really give thanks to God for all that we have in this country. Let us sincerely pray for the leaders of our country that they will indeed make good decisions for us and let us pray for our friends, family and neighbors.
I am beyond thankful I was born an American citizen, I am proud to be an American, if you do not want to be in this country, we are not stopping you from leaving. I am tired of people who live here, who are not from here, bad mouthing this place, this country, who has given so many so much. So this Thanksgiving, let’s really give thanks, I know I am thankful that I have the opportunity to work and make the money that will pay for Christmas without me going into debt to provide a nice Christmas for my children and grand child.
What are you thankful for this year? I would love to hear from you.